Our Cloth Diapering Evolution: Best Bottom Diapers

That’s right, our diapering journey has been an evolution, with Best Bottom Diapers being the only diaper [from the beginning] still in the game. I began diapering Declan with a couple dozen prefolds, some Thirsties covers, some pockets, and some Best Bottom Diaper shells. Eighteen months later, Best Bottoms are the only one of our original diapers still in the routine. In fact, Declan recently became a heavy wetter, and Best Bottoms are my go-to diaper (over my AIOs), especially for running errands.

To be honest, I had no idea what I was buying when I bought our first Best Bottom shell, used from eBay; I just knew that I needed covers and wanted to try different brands. From the beginning, I thought that it was weird that the cover had snaps on the inside, and it was definitely a heavier-duty cover than our Thirsties Duo wraps. When I did get around to looking further into Best Bottoms, we had already tried bumGenius pocket diapers (which I disliked), and the idea of dealing with a soaker was unappealing because a.) I didn’t think that it could contain explosive breastfeeding poos, and b.) soakers were the last thing I wanted to deal with in my sleep-deprived condition.

Declan at 5 months old, wearing a Best Bottom shell (Orange Sherbert)

Our Best Bottoms shells worked wonderfully over our prefolds, so I saw no reason to change what we were doing. Fast forward to the one year mark. Diaper changes for my mobile and [stubbornly] independent toddler were now wrestling matches, and trying to pin a prefold or put a fitted on with a cover was an all-out battle. As much as I loved my prefolds, I knew it was time for a diaper change (pardon the pun).

After having someone recommend using Best Bottoms, I had an “a-ha!” moment . I didn’t have to purchase a ton of all-in-one (AIO) and all-in-two (AI2) diapers because I already had three Best Bottom shells! Sometimes the answer literally has to slap me in the face. I purchased some Best Bottom soakers and was kicking myself for not starting using the AI2 system sooner.

At 18 months, our cloth diapering ‘system’ has undergone a major overhaul and an evolution. Our prefolds are gathering dust, and we have a wonderful selection of AIO and AI2 diapers. While I use our Best Bottoms similar to an AIO, disposing of the diaper after each use, I know I’d be able to stretch our three shells further by changing out the soakers after each use. (Stubbornly, I’m on the hunt for two more Best Bottom shells, as we currently have 5 soakers).

What I love most about using the Best Bottom AI2 system is the ease in laundering. I air dry our shells after washing, and the detached soakers dry in the dryer in no time. I often have to run another dryer cycle for my AIO diapers, which is a drain on our energy costs (and a pain to keep checking on them). Another thing I love about our Best Bottoms? The security. Best Bottom Diapers are my go-to errand-running diapers because the microfiber soakers absorb so much. Declan has recently become a heavy wetter, which has meant that we’ve had to make adjustments to our six-month-old diapering routine. Thankfully, our Best Bottoms have needed no additional soakers or doublers (three cheers for ease of use!).

I have a lot to think about for our next baby (if we’re so blessed), as I would now consider using our Best Bottoms as AI2s, shortly after we began solids. If you’re looking for more bang for your buck, longevity, ease of use, and a diapering ‘system’ that truly grows along with your little one, you should definitely look into giving Best Bottom Diapers a try.

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[…] will add that I am a huge fan of all in two diapers, and use only microfiber inserts in my Best Bottom diapers; Best Bottom’s microfiber inserts seem to be the only microfiber inserts in my stash that can […]

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Lauren B. Stevens is a former publishing rep-turned-writer, whose work can be found on ChildVantage, The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy and Care.com, among many other websites. When she's not chasing her precocious preschooler, Lauren pens hilarious and heartwarming stories about her life as a mother, ghostwrites blogs for businesses, and sometimes even finds the time to write a bit of creative non-fiction.
Look for Lauren's published essays in the books listed below: